What to Consider When Positioning Your Custom Home
April 14, 2015When you have the chance to build your own custom home, there is a long road of decisions ahead of you. While many of them are important, one that stands out the most is where to position your custom home on your lot. This decision can affect market value, which is important in case you ever need to sell your home. Here’s what to consider when positioning your custom home:
1. Consider the Weather
The weather is an important factor when positioning your home. Do you want a lot of natural light to give your home an open and airy feeling? Or, do you prefer a moody and cooler vibe? Want a mix of both?
Figure Out the Direction of Light
Spend some time on your lot at different times of the day and pay attention to where the sun hits. This way, you can figure out the layout of your home based on where the sun will shine into your home for the longest amount of time. This can have a big effect on bedroom lighting design and the layouts and lighting options for other rooms in your home.
If you live in a warm climate and are concerned about cooling costs, think about positioning your home where the sun hits as little as possible, or choose a well-shaded part of your lot if possible. Do the opposite in a cold-weather climate.
Direct sunlight into a home can help your home stay warm and keep heating costs down. Having an idea of the direction of light on your lot can also help you plan window placement in your custom home.
Determine the Direction of Wind and Flow of Water
It’s also important to think about wind and weather damage in regards to the position of your home. How does your lot handle water during and after a rainstorm? What about melting snow and ice?
Consider how water flows on your lot when you are working with a builder to position your home. This allows you to best protect your home from potential damage during storms or high winds, during thawing and re-freezing, and over time.
2. Think About Where the Views Are
If your lot is anywhere near a good view of a body of water, mountains, or open fields, be sure to keep that in mind for positioning your custom home. This is especially true for sloped lots. You want to maximize those views! Where you’ll be spending most of your time is where you should face the view.
Maybe build a porch or have large windows so that you always have the view in front of you? There are several porch styles and options available, so you will be able to choose the perfect porch for your custom home.
Want a good place to see the beautiful sunset or sunrise? Think about that as well. In addition to positioning your home on the lot, you also want to plan for your driveway. This is particularly important if you will be playing with shapes or other creative driveway ideas. Building your own home gives you the advantage of thinking these through so be sure to consider all the factors.
3. Consider Sound
This one is especially important if you’re building in a residential area where homes or businesses are close together. If there is ample spacing, you probably don’t need to worry too much.
But, if you’re on a busy street or near a fire station, keep that in mind. Ideally, your bedrooms shouldn’t face the loudest sounds. Consider soundproofing the walls as well to minimize sound disruption.
4. Think About Privacy
When building a new home, it’s important to look at how your home will interact with the land around it and how much privacy you want. If you have a lot of hills, trees, embankments, or bushes, it’s easier to hide your home a bit.
If you don’t have these options, think about building a fence if you desire more privacy. There are plenty of ways to add privacy to your backyard and home. If your lot allows, you can also position your home further back and add a longer driveway. But, if your property is more secluded as a whole, this might not be an issue for you.
These are just a few ideas to consider when positioning your custom home. A lot comes down to the structure of your lot and to personal preference. Of course, don’t forget about building codes and regulations put in place by your neighborhood or municipality. These considerations can help with positioning and also with choosing exterior colors for your custom home.
If you’re ready to consider a custom home that is built to meet your needs, contact Custom Home Group at 717-284-4090. Start making your dream home a reality!